Flood and stock gate



P. WALTHER.

FLOOD AND STOCK GATE. I No. 437,406. Patented Sept. 30. 1890.

. UNITED STATES PATENT, Orr-IC PETER WALTHER, or KOKOMO, INDIANA, AssIeNon or' rwormnps TO PAUL J. WALTHER AND JOHN s. WALTHER, BOTH or CLEVELAND, orno.

FLOOD AANDYSITOCK GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,406, dated Sept mber 30, 189 0. Application filed September 5, 1889. Serial No. 323,111. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER WALTHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kokomo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flood and Stock Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to self-acting floodgates and to-improved means for insuring the correct action of the gates and preventing the opening of the gates by hogs or other'stock; and it consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide means of such simplicity of construction as will insure their causing the gates to act automatically and to remain locked when closed, and which cannot be operated by stock so as to open the gates.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved gates closed and showing the locking device as viewed from the downstream side of the gates. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the gates unlocked and partly opened. Fig 3 is a detached view of the locking-bar and float, showing the under side of the latter.

A A represent two heavy posts or frames set one on each side of the stream, inclining upstream, and preferably connected at the top bya cross-beam A to prevent sagging of the gates. WVhere the stream in which the gates are placed carries contiderable water, it is advisable to employ on each side frames of ti1n ber planked on the inside, of which frames the posts A A form the side which is placed downstream, as shown in Fig. 1.

B B are two suitable gates hung to the posts A A by strong hinges. One of the gates B in the drawings is made heavier in propor tion to its area than the other, and therefore requires a greater depth of water to lift and open it. These gates may be made close and tight or of open bars as preferred, but should be flat and smooth on the upstream side to prevent entangling floating rubbish, and at bottom they are made to conform to the-bed its lower end a float D, preferably made in the form of a shallow open box, with its open side downward, as shown in Fig. 4. The locking-bar O is so pivoted that the float D over weighs the locking end of the bar, and it is convenient to place a stop 6 to limit the movement of the upper end of the bar.

To the heavier gate B is affixed a catch F, under which the bar 0 slides and rests when the gates close and locks the gates shut. The catch F is sloped on its under side and extends out so far that the locking-bar, being limited in its upward movement by the stop e, shall strike with its rounded upper edge against the sloping under side of the catch as the gate swings shut and be forced by the weight of 'the gate B to slide on the same until it engages the notch of the catch, as shown in Fig. 1.

The area of the float D is made such that it will not rise sufliciently to unlock the gates until the water has risen somewhat above the bottom of the gates entirely across the stream,

. and this prevents the gates unlocking until the water has risen sufficiently to drive all animals out of the bed of the stream. In case the gates are made of bars or strips placed palewise instead of being built tight, a board or plank is set in the bars on the upstream side, covering the space through which the float rises, as shown in Fig. 1, to prevent animals from lifting the float through the bars. As water rises in the stream, it lifts the float D, aided by the air inclosed under it, and this unlocks the bar 0 from the catch F, and the gate B, being the lighter of the two, opens first, both gates opening before the pressure of the water and allowing all floating sticks, leaves, and rubbish to pass through. Stops g are placed on each of the posts A to prevent the gates from opening quite to a vertical position. The stops maypif opreferred, be placed roe on the gates and adapted. to strike against the posts A or any suitable means such as stakes driven in the ground-1nay be used for the same purpose, which is to prevent the gates opening so far as to lose their tendency to close by gravity. As the water falls the gates close, the heavier gate B closing first, and the gate'B closes upon it, and as the float falls bar 0 locks the gates before the water has fallen so far as to let cattle or hogs enter the bed of the stream.

Stock which may get into the bed of the stream below the gates when the stream is dry cannot open the gates even if they unlock the bar D by lifting or rubbing against the float, as the weight of ,the gates keeps them shut, and stock on the upstream side of the gates cannot reach the float or bar to move the same.

As asecurity against the gates beingbroken by stock rubbing against them, I prefer to extend the inner bar I) of the heavier gate B to a length sufficient to reachfrom the ground -to the cross-beam A, which, besides giving firmness to the gates, serves to give the necessary additional weight to the gate B.

WVhat I claim, and. desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the inclined gates and their supports, one of said gates being proportionately heavier than the other, of a locking-bar with a fioat attached pivoted to the lighter gate, a catch for said locking-bar secured to the heavier gate, and means for limiting the opening of the gates, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the inclined gravi tating gates of unequal weight and their supports, an inclined locking-bar pivoted to the lighter gate and carrying at its lower end a fioat located near the bottom of the gate, a catch on the other gate to receive the locking bar and fasten the gates, and means for limiting the opening of the gates, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof 1 hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER WALTI-IER.

' WVitnesses:

WM. JOHNS, Jr, PAUL J. WALTHER. 

